Card exhibitor



y 6, 1970 I H..D.M'UGAAS 3,513,515

CARD EXHIBITOR Filed June a. 1968 r 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVI'JNIOR. HENDR/K 0 M06005 m Kfm/M A T'I'ORNMS H. D. MUGAAS CARD EXHIBITOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 6, 1968 INVENIOR. HENDR/K 0 Munns BY May 26, 1970 H. D. MUGAAS 3,5

CARD EXHIBITOR Filed June 6, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 PF 1H H :U 22

um; RscM j 2 .2 7.117. HENDR/K Q MUG/2A5 ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,513,576 CARD EXHIBITOR Hendrik D. Mugaas, 4104 Wakefield Chapel Road,

. Annandale, Va. 22003 Filed June 6, 1968, Ser. No. 735,151 Int. Cl. B42f 17/00 U.S. Cl. 40-78.03 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A plate having shoulders for positioning a stack of cards for exhibition when the cards and plate are in a generally upright position with only one lower corner of the stack resting on a horizontal shoulder from which the top card may be slid to permit it to drop into a receiver. The receiver and plate are pivotally joined for folding to a compact configuration and, when in use, the receiver positioned to insure positioning the cards therein in a desired order, either the same order in which they were arranged in the stack or in the reverse order.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to card or chart exhibitors and particularly to devices for holding a plurality or stack of cards or the like for the sequential exhibiting thereof.

Prior devices have been proposed for exhibiting a stack of charts or the like and means have been provided for selectively or automatically removing the top card of the stack to thereby exhibit the next succeeding card. However, such prior devices known to applicant were relatively complicated in construction, expensive to produce and were subject to disadvantages solved by the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises generally a support for a stack of cards, which term will be used herein to refer to cards, charts, sheets or any similar informationbearing media, one lower corner of which rests on a ledge and the opposite upper corner of which bears against a fixed abutment. By thus sliding the bottom of the top card laterally, it drops off the ledge and into a receiver so arranged that the cards may be received therein and stacked in the same order in which they were exhibited. Thus, the stack can be reused without rearrangement. The receiver is an open-topped compartment, tilted slightly from the vertical so that cards dropping therein all gravitate toward a predetermined side thereof. The invention includes novel features of limiting abutments and supporting and guiding abutments adjustable on a base and includes a modification adapted for placement on a table or desk top or similar surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front view of a first embodiment of the invention, supported by a tripod;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional line taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontatl sectional view on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational fragmentary view of a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. '5 is a side elevational view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the modification shown in FIG. 4 with the parts folded to a storage position;

FIG. 9 is a front view, similar to FIG. 1, but showing a further modification;

FIG. 10 is a front view of a further modified form of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a side view of the form shown in FIG. 10 with parts thereof shown in section; and

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a stack of cards or the like adapted for use with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIGS. 1 through 3, there is shown a conventional three-legged tripod designated generally by numeral 2 and comprising a pair of front legs 4 and a rear leg 5. The apparatus of the invention comprises a flat plate or board 6 which may be supported by the tripod 2 in a generally upright position by engaging a pair of brackets or clips 8, secured to the lower edges of the board 6 around portions of the front legs 4 of the tripod in the manner shown. The clips 8 thus support the board 6 on the tripod at a predetermined elevation. The front face of the board 6 is provided with a pair of laterally spaced, fixed upper abutments 10 and 12, and a pair of lower abutments 14 and 16. The lower abutment 16 is formed to define a vertical shoulder 18 and a horizontal ledge 20. A stack 22 of cards, charts or the like 24, may be rested against the front face of the board 6 to be positioned between the upper abutments 10 and 12 and between the lower abutrn e'nt 14 and vertical shoulder 18 with the lower right hand corner of the stack resting on the ledge 20. It will be apparent that gravity acting on the stack 22 of cards will cause the same to tilt toward the left to bring the upper left hand edge thereof against upper abutment 10 and the entire stack will thus be supported by the ledge 20 wherein the upper card is exposed to view. Thus, a lecturer,

for example, may conduct his lecture with reference to the card appearing at the top of the stack until he wants to refer to the next card, at which time he merely pushes the lower portion of the upper card 24 to the left, to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 1, until it is stopped by the lower abutment 14. The spacing between lower abutments 14 and 16 is so related to the width of the card 24 that the latter will move off the ledge 20 just before it engages the abutment 14 and is then free to drop between the lower abutments into a receiver designated generally at 23.

The upper abutment 12 is provided merely to prevent inadvertent displacement of any of the cards toward the right hand side. Referring now to FIG. 3A, the lower left hand abutment 14 is preferably pivotally mounted on the front face of the board 6 and can be manually moved between the positions shown in FIG. 3A by solid line and broken lines, respectively. The abutment is mounted on a suitable pivot 25 and may be provided with a rounded nose portion 26. When the abutment 14 is rotated to the full line position, it prevents lateral movement of any card 24 off of ledge 20 but when it is desired to change exhibits, the abutment 14 may be manually pivoted to the dotted line position whereupon its vertical edge is spaced sufficiently far from the abutment 16 to permit the upper card to be moved off the ledge and dropped into the receiver as previously described.

The receiver 23 comprises an open-topped compartment having a front wall 28, a rear wall 30, a bottom wall 32, and side walls 34. The board 6 is provided with a pair of rearwardly and downwardly extending brackets 35 to which the upper ends of links 36 are pivoted by means of bolts 38 or the like. The lower ends of the links 36 are pivoted to respective side Walls 34 of the receiver 23 by means of bolts or the like 40. Thus, the bolts 38 and 40 may be loosened and the receiver and links 36 swung to a position wherein the receiver overlies the rear face of the board 6 for storage or transport and the device is thus folded to a compact configuration, taking up very little space. When the device is in use, however, the receiver is swung to the position shown in FIG. 2 and the bolts 38 and 40 may be tightened sufficiently to hold the receiver in the tilted position shown. In this position the open upper end 42 of the receiver is in position to receive cards dropping from between the abutments 14 and 16 and those cards slide downwardly along the path generally indicated by arrows 44 in FIG. 2. The first card dropped will impinge the front wall 28 of the receiver and then will slide downwardly to a position lying with its face bearing against the inner surface of wall 28. Each succeeding card will likewise engage the rear of the preceding card and will slide downwardly to rest on the bottom wall 32 and the cards are thus maintained in the same order and arrangement as they were in the first instance so that it is not necessary to rearrange the cards for subsequent lectures or exhibition.

If desired, the upper surface of the bottom wall 32 may be provided with suitable cushioning material to prevent damage to the lower edges of the cards 24.

It is to be noted that each card as it drops between the lower abutments comes to rest in the receiver where it is completely concealed from view and yet spaced a substantial distance below the cards of the stack 22.

Obviously the apparatus just described is useful for many purposes such as illustrated lectures and may find wide use in teaching many different and varied subjects.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 to 8, showing a s cond modification, the numeral 2 is used to designate a tripod which may be identical to that shown in FIG. 1 except that it is provided with a horizontal transverse bar or rail 46 secured to the front legs 4 of the tripod. In this form of the invention a plate or board 48 is provided with brackets 50 at its opposite lower edge portions which brackets extend rearwardly and terminate in downwardly extending fingers 52 to thus define, with the rear face of the board 48, hooks engaging over the horizontal bar or reel 46. Adjacent its upper edge, the board 48 is provided with spring clips 54 releasably engageable with the legs 4 of the tripod, and means are thus provided for holding the plate 48 in fixed position on the tripod.

The board 48 is further provided with two pairs of aligned horizontal slots 56 and 58 along which bar-like abutment means 60 and 62 are selectively adjustable. The bar 62 is configured so that its upper portion 64 defines an abutment, corresponding to the abutment 10 in FIG. 1, and wherein its lower portion 66 is spaced laterally to the left from the upper portion and corresponds in function to the lower abutment 14 of FIG. 1. The right hand bar 62 is provided at its lower end with an olfset portion defining a ledge 68 corresponding in function to the ridge 20 of FIG. 1. As shown, an intermediate portion 70 of the bar 62 defines a protuberance performing the function of the upper abutment of 12 of FIG. 1. Clearly, the bars 60 and 62 may be adjustably positioned on the plate 48 to accommodate a stack 22 of cards of any desired dimensions, within the limits of the apparatus.

A receiver designated generally at 72 is pivotally mounted on the brackets 50 by pivot pins 74 at the end of side brackets 76 extending rearwardly from a front wall 78 of the receiver. At its lower edge the front wall 78 is provided with a receiver bottom 80 to which a flexible pocket or receiver '82 is secured with its open upper end 84 facing upwardly. The receiver 72 is so dimensioned and constructed that its center of gravity will normally hold the receiver in the generally tilted position shown in FIG. even though the same is pendulously supported from the brackets 50 and no nuts or other clamping means need be manipulated or tightened to hold the receiver in this position. A generally U-shaped handle member 86 is secured to the bottom wall of the receiver and serves as a carrying handle when the apparatus is folded to the compact configuration shown in FIG. 8. When folded to this configuration, the spring clips 54, previously described, are caused to engage the side legs 88 of the handle 86 and thus releasably hold the apparatus in its folded condition.

FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 1 and like reference numerals designate similar parts. In this form, however, a front mask 90 is mounted on the plate 6, spaced forwardly therefrom so as to conceal the stack 22 of cards so that they are not visible to the audience. The receiver 92 may be similar in all respects to that shown in FIG. 1 except that the front wall 94 thereof is provided with an opening or window 96 therein through which the front card in the receiver may be viewed. When using this embodiment of the invention, the receiver will be positioned so that it tilts upwardly and rearwardly, in a direction the reverse of that shown in FIG. 2. Thus, cards sequentially dropped in the receiver 92 will gravitate toward the back wall thereof so that each succeeding card will be visible through window 96.

FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate a further modified form of the invention, particularly adapted to be supported on a table or desk or the like. In this form a plate 98 corresponds to the plate 6 of FIG. 1 and is pivotally mounted at its lower edge to a receiver 100 by means of a hinge 102 or the like. The receiver 100 is provided with a base 104 having suitable feet 106 to support it on a horizontal surface 108 with the receiver compartment tilted slightly upwardly and forwardly so that its open top 110 faces upwardly. However, the base can be omitted and the receiver may rest directly on the supporting surface 108. The open top 110 is bounded by an edge of a short top wall 112, side walls 114, and curved end wall 116. A pivoted arcuate and slotted brace 118 supports the plate 98 in the generally upright position shown in FIG. 11. Obviously, the brace 118 may be released by loosening nut 120 and both the brace and the plate 98 folded to lie flat against the receiver 100 for storage.

This form of the invention is intended for use with relatively thin flexible sheets or charts so that when the top sheet of a stack is released from ledge 20, it may drop into the open top 110 of the receiver whereupon curved end wall 116 will deflect its lower edge, curving the sheet rearwardly so that it gravitates into the receiver 100 on top of the previously deposited chart or sheet.

FIG. 12 merely illustrates a stack 22 of cards 24 wherein the cards are each provided with a tab or the like 122 projecting upwardly from the stack to facilitate identification and arrangement of the cards in the stack.

It will be obvious that, in any of the forms described, automatic or remotely controlled means may be provided for sliding the top card 24 off its supporting ledge.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 9 it will be apparent that a card in the receiver of FIG. 5 will be visible from the rear above the pocket 82. Thus, the rear of the card so visible may be provided with the same picture or chart appearing on the top card on plate 48 and the same material may be viewed by observers on both sides of the apparatus. Obviously the pocket 88 may be replaced by means providing a window similar to the Window 96 of FIG. 9, or the rear wall of the pocket may be omitted entirely.

While a limited number of specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein, it is to be understood that they merely exemplify the principles of the invention and the scope thereof is to be limited only by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A card exhibiting device comprising: support means defining a surface adapted to be placed in a generally upright position; abutment means on said surface including laterally spaced lower abutments, one of which defines a short horizontal ledge supportingly engageable with one lower corner of a stack of cards resting against said surface and the other of which is positioned to limit lateral movement of said cards but to permit a laterally moved card to drop off said ledge between said lower abutments, and at least one upper abutment positioned to engage the upper end portion of the side edge of said stack opposite said ledge whereby the cards of said stack are normally held in a predetermined position on said surface; means defining a receiver compartment having an open upper end positioned below said surface to receive cards dropping between said lower abutments; means pivotally joining said support means and compartment to permit relative folding thereof to a compact overlying relationship; and means for holding said compartment, when in use, at a predetermined angle to the vertical whereby cards dropping therein are caused to gravitate toward a predetermined side thereof.

2. A card exhibiting device as defined in claim 1 wherein said other lower abutment is movably mounted on said surface for selective movement from a first position wherein an edge thereof prevents movement of cards off said ledge to a second position wherein it is spaced from said ledge a distance sulficient to permit a card to move laterally off said ledge.

3. A card exhibiting device as defined in claim 1 wherein said abutments are mounted on said support means for relative lateral adjustment to accommodate cards of different dimensions.

4. A card exhibiting device as defined in claim 1 wherein one side of said receiver compartment is open and through which cards therein may be viewed.

5. A card exhibiting device as defined in claim 1 wherein said receiver compartment is provided with means for supporting the same in a generally horizontal position on a generally horizontal surface, said open upper end 6 comprising an opening bounded on one side by an edge of a top Wall of said compartment and bounded on its other side by an upper end wall of said compartment; said end wall being smoothly curved downwardly and inwardly to direct flexible cards entering said opening downwardly and rearwardly into said compartment.

6. A card exhibiting device as defined in claim 5 wherein said support means is pivoted to said top wall on an axis extending generally along said edge; and brace means releasably holding said support means in a generally upright position.

7. A card exhibiting device as defined in claim 1 wherein said support means comprises a flat plate-like member; a bracket secured to each side edge of said member adjacent but spaced upwardly from the bottom edge thereof, each bracket having a downwardly extending portion spaced rearwardly from said member to define means for supporting said device on a horizontal bar; said receiver compartment being pivoted to said brackets on an axis forwardly of said member.

8. A card exhibiting device as defined in claim 7 wherein said receiver compartment is freely pendulous about said axis and is so dimensioned that gravity normally holds it at said predetermined angle to the vertical.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 535,635 3/1895 Stone 4078.03 2,867,051 1/1959 Taylor 4078.03 2,853,816 9/1958 Rogas 40-78.03 3,345,768 10/1967 Schulz 40-152.1

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner W. J. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner 

